Writing Samples
Writing Samples
The Daily Californian
From February 2021 to May 2023, I've written more over 60 articles for the Daily Californian, UC Berkeley's independent student-run newspaper. I began as a Spring 2021 opinion columnist that wrote about LGBTQ+ issues in media and politics called "LGBTea." From WandaVision to Lil Nas X, I discussed topics revolving around queerness portrayed in the media and its ramifications. The Daily Cal's platform allowed me to discuss LGBTQ+ representation towards a large audience.
After the end of my column, I wrote for the Daily Clog (The Daily Cal + Blog), which focused on online-only content about college life, media trends, pop culture, food, and travel. It was an amazing opportunity to showcase ideas that weren't suitable for my column and further develop my writing skills. Many of my pieces were trending on the website, garnering views and social media engagement. From Spring to Summer 2022, I served as the deputy editor for this department and continue to create more content. For the Fall 2022 semester, I returned to opinion as one of the deputy editors and wrote for the paper until my graduation in May 2023. Below are some highlights.
Academic Essays and Work
"Homewreckers: Ballroom, Houses, and the Meaning of Family"
For English 166: Social Media of Literature, I wrote about how the houses of 1980's ballroom culture served as pre-internet queer safe spaces. Through the lens of Paris is Burning, I dissected the house system and its function as the antithesis to the nuclear family form.
"Werking through COVID-19: Drag Queens in Quarantine"
In my Intro to News Reporting class, we were tasked with writing a news feature of our own, requiring research and interviews, for our final. This article showcased the impacts of COVID-19 on drag queens, specifically in-person performances and adjusting to the rapid change.
Gender Ru-veal: Troubles of Gender and Mass Media in RuPaul's Drag Race "
In my undergraduate thesis project, I update the existing scholarship of Judith Butler's analysis of drag in Gender Trouble, especially in regards to RuPaul's Drag Race and its amplification of drag queens on a global level. Additionally, I examine Drag Race itself as a form of drag through parodying other reality television shows and the impact of the show on drag culture in general.
"Genre Study: Hyperpop"
One of the assignments for "Music in American Cultures" was a deep-dive into a genre of music. The following paper looks into the emerging genre of hyperpop, its ties with the LGBTQ+ community, and curates ten essential tracks to understand the microgenre.